tell me about 60s epiphone olympics

bloomer

Anyone tried one? How do they compare to melody makers?

PhilKing

I've had both, other than the shape, they are really similar.  I like the sound of Melody Maker pickups, but they are not Fendery, they do have a more rounded tone.

guitars4you

The Olympic and Melody Maker are effectively the same/similar guitar - Both at the time represented the student end of the market - At the time Gibson offered dealers who were not a Gibson dealer, the chance to acquire the same/similar model via Epiphone

As an overview the GIbson equivalents are easier to sell today than the Epi equivalent and worth more - Other than the Casino over the 330, mainly due to the influence of The Beatles, The Stones and P Weller

Both the Melody Maker and Olympic are cute with plenty of character - For many it will be a guitar to add to the collection, as against been the main guitar you'll play all the time - The more 'simplistic' your playing the more you'll find it is fine

Many have been 'customised especially with regards to the single pick-up, both original examples are still out there - In comparison to SG models, or other vintage guitars they are far more affordable

Iamnobody

guitars4you said:

The Olympic and Melody Maker are effectively the same/similar guitar - Both at the time represented the student end of the market - At the time Gibson offered dealers who were not a Gibson dealer, the chance to acquire the same/similar model via Epiphone

As an overview the GIbson equivalents are easier to sell today than the Epi equivalent and worth more - Other than the Casino over the 330, mainly due to the influence of The Beatles, The Stones and P Weller

Both the Melody Maker and Olympic are cute with plenty of character - For many it will be a guitar to add to the collection, as against been the main guitar you'll play all the time - The more 'simplistic' your playing the more you'll find it is fine

Many have been 'customised especially with regards to the single pick-up, both original examples are still out there - In comparison to SG models, or other vintage guitars they are far more affordable

Talking of the Weller effect - I saw this Casino on eBay last night. Love the royal tan colour. Considering the mods is it priced right? I thought I bit on the high side by then you’d be £2k for a VOS Gibson 330 which is probably the equivalent new guitar.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F303235021518

martinw

I found the neck too thin for me at the nut on my 64 Olympic. Something to be aware of.

Funkfingers

martinw said:

I found the neck too thin for me at the nut on my 64 Olympic. Something to be aware of.

Thin or narrow?

I have a 1965 Melody Maker. The neck profile is simultaneously very deep and annoyingly narrow. I forgive this because of the sounds that can be extracted from the instrument through overdriven valve amplification.

gjonesy

@guitars4you currently has an olympic in stock 
https://www.guitars4you.co.uk/guitars/5544-epiphone-olympic-circa1965-faded-cherry/
he could probably chime in with a comment as I'm sure he's also had MMs through his hands at some point

guitars4you

martinw said:

I found the neck too thin for me at the nut on my 64 Olympic. Something to be aware of.

all Gibson/Epi model reduced the nut width around this era until around late 69 - Some like it some don't be certainly something to be aware of 

bloomer

The ones I've seen for sale vary in width at the nut between under 1 5/8 to 1 11/16 and all the necks seem to have quite an extreme taper from very thin at the nut around 0.83 to an inch at the twelfth. Not sure I'd get on with the smaller nut size. The one at guitars4u is interesting with the pickup mod, putting a curtis novak p90 in there seems really common in olympics and melody makers. Nice colour scheme on this olympic: https://reverb.com/nz/item/15437936-epiphone-olympic-double-1967

guitars4you

bloomer said:

The ones I've seen for sale vary in width at the nut between under 1 5/8 to 1 11/16 and all the necks seem to have quite an extreme taper from very thin at the nut around 0.83 to an inch at the twelfth. Not sure I'd get on with the smaller nut size. The one at guitars4u is interesting with the pickup mod, putting a curtis novak p90 in there seems really common in olympics and melody makers. Nice colour scheme on this olympic: https://reverb.com/nz/item/15437936-epiphone-olympic-double-1967

The 1 5/8 gives it more of a Fender feel, especially those with a deeper neck profile so something more like a black guard Tele-esq vibe

Compared to the regular 'thin weedy' single coil sound, the Curtis Novak mod gives the voice far more guts and body - Now like having a P90 there - You see a few Melody makers that have been fitted with a humbucker , so at least the Curtis Novak mod keeps the guitars visual  'integrity' in tact

martinw

Funkfingers said:

martinw said:

I found the neck too thin for me at the nut on my 64 Olympic. Something to be aware of.

Thin or narrow?

I have a 1965 Melody Maker. The neck profile is simultaneously very deep and annoyingly narrow. I forgive this because of the sounds that can be extracted from the instrument through overdriven valve amplification.

Both.
My Epi had the narrow nut, but was thin front-to-back as well.
I sold it in the end as I couldn't get on with it, which was a shame as it was otherwise awesome.